first derivative

noun

, Mathematics.

1. the derivative of a function:

   Velocity is the first derivative of distance with respect to time.

Word History and Origins

Origin of first derivative¹

First recorded in 1825–35

Example Sentences

Below is a chart of the average wing price at each wing quantity — the first derivative of the previous graph.

From The Verge

Tulu and Bulu were no longer recognizably identical—but they shared the first derivative of identity.

From The New Yorker

For the mathematically inclined, it’s the first derivative of stimulus that is going to zero, not stimulus itself.

From Forbes

But that’s easily enough solved by looking at the first derivative: places that have growing GDP are notably happier than places with static or falling.

From Forbes

However, even a stable second derivative could attach to a positive first derivative, which itself represents the very essence of momentum.

From Forbes